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Mid-Day Meal Rules, 2015

The Mid-Day
Meal Rules, 2015 are notified by the Central Government on 30th
September 2015. The National Food Security Act, 2013 contains provisions
related to welfare schemes including Mid Day Meal Scheme.In accordance with the provisions of
the Act, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has finalized the Mid-Day
Meal Rules after consultation with the States and other related Central
Ministries.

Mid Day Meal Scheme - The Midday Meal Scheme is a school
meal programme of the Government of India designed to improve the nutritional
status of school-age children nationwide. The programme supplies free lunches
on working days for children in primary and upper primary classes in
government, government aided schools.

Main objectives of the mid day meal
scheme are:

1.Improve the nutritional status of
children in classes one through five in government schools and government aided
schools

2.To encourage children from
disadvantaged backgrounds to attend school regularly and help them concentrate
in school activities.

3.As well as provide nutritional
support to students in drought- ridden areas throughout summer vacation.

The salient provisions of the newly
notified Rules are:

1.Entitlements of children: Every child
within the age group of six to fourteen years studying in classes I to VIII who
enroll and attend the school, shall be provided hot cooked meal having
nutritional standards of 450 calories and 12 gm of protein for primary and 700
calories and 20 gm protein for upper primary free of charge every day except on
school holidays. The place of serving meals to the children shall be school
only.

2.Implementation of the Scheme: Every
school shall have the facility for cooking meal in hygienic manner. Schools in
urban area may use the facility of centralized kitchens for cooking meals
wherever required in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Central
Government and the meal shall be served to children at respective school only.

3.Responsibility of School Management
Committee: The School Management Committee mandated under Right to Free and
Compulsory Education Act, 2009 shall also monitor implementation of the Mid-day
meal Scheme and shall oversee quality of meals provided to the children,
cleanliness of the place of cooking and maintenance of hygiene in
implementation of mid day meal scheme.

4.Utilization of School Funds: The
Headmaster or Headmistress of the school shall be empowered to utilise any fund
available in school for the purpose of continuation of Mid Day Meal Scheme in
the school in case of temporary unavailability of food grains, cooking cost
etc. in the school. The utilised fund shall be reimbursed to the school account
immediately after receipt of mid day meal funds.

5.Testing of the meals by Accredited
Labs to ensure nutritional standards: Hot cooked meal provided to children
shall be evaluated and certified by the Government Food Research Laboratory or
any laboratory accredited or recognized by law, so as to ensure that the meal meets
with the nutritional standards and quality.

6.The Food and Drugs Administration
Department of the State may collect samples to ensure the nutritive value and
quality of the meals. The samples shall be collected at least once in a month from
randomly selected schools or centralized kitchens and sent for examination to
the accredited laboratories.

7.Food Security Allowance. - If the
Mid-Day Meal is not provided in school on any school day due to
non-availability of food grains, cooking cost, fuel or absence of
cook-cum-helper or any other reason, the State Government shall pay food
security allowance by 15th of the succeeding month in the manner provided
herein below:-

(a) Quantity of Food grains as per
entitlement of the child; and

(b) Cooking cost prevailing in the
State.

(i) In case of non-supply of meal by the
Centralised Kitchen, the Food Security Allowance shall be realised from the
Centralised Kitchen as stated above.

(ii) Provided that in case a child has not taken food on
offer for whatever reasons, no claim of food security allowance shall lie with
the State Government or Centralised Kitchens:

(iii) Provided further that no claim shall lie with State
Government or Centralised Kitchen for reasons of quality of food grains and
meal:

(iv) The State Government shall take action to fix
responsibility on the person or agency in accordance with the procedure laid
down, if mid day meal is not provided in school on school days continuously for
three days or at least for five days in a month.

(v) Wherever an agency of Central Government is involved, the
State Government shall take up the matter with Central Government which shall
resolve the matter within a month.